Carole Blackburn has always been passionate about art. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a major in Art Education from Concordia University. Throughout her 35 year teaching career as an art specialist, she has worked with kids of all ages and backgrounds. She has touched the lives of countless children both in Montreal and on the South Shore and is now bringing her vast experience to the Preville Fine Arts Centre. Her biggest reward is seeing the spark of enthusiasm and excitement in her students as she introduces them to the joys of learning about their own creativity through visual arts.

Christine Caron fell in love with dance at a young age. As a member of ballet-jazz and funky dance groups, she pursued her dream to study modern dance, first at Cégep St-Laurent and then at UQAM where she obtained a Bachelors degree in contemporary dance. During this process, she danced for Sylvain Émard and Hélène Blackburn as part of a class. Today, Christine is a proud mother of four and actively involved in inspiring young children to dance. She volunteers at the Maison de la Famille Lemoyne where she has created “Dance With Me”, a series of small workshops for children 18 months to 5 years, designed to stimulate movement and rhythm with mini choreographies or poetic texts based on the weekly theme. For the last 6 years, she has also been teaching dance at École Préville in St-Lambert as part of the afterschool program. Using games and stories, she teaches kids to express themselves through the art of dance, whether it be contemporary, classical ballet, hop-hop or even aerobics.

Since the age of 11, Pierre had guitar lessons and practiced tirelessly. Even though pop music was very attractive for Pierre, he soon discovered how inspiring the classical music is. He passed his Royal Conservatory of Music’s grade exams with “first class honour” and began teaching music at the age of 15. In high school, he insisted to his music teacher, Bertrand Lamoureux, and obtained more music courses than his program allowed him to. In addition to give quality guitar and bass guitar lessons, Pierre taught music to college students in the area. Always looking for new challenge, he is now studying in the Music teaching program at l’UQAM. His students often won the silver medal at the Royal Conservatory of Music, which is the best score of the province. He also participated in Le Théâtre Chantant as the music director.

André Chalifour began studying music at age 18. At age 21, after classical guitar studies at Vincent d'Indy, he obtained his collegiate studies degree in jazz at CEGEP Marie-Victorin. His undergraduate studies began at Université de Montréal in 1996, where he learned the art of bebop. He then earned a bachelors with distinction in jazz studies from the Faculty of Fine Arts of Concordia University in May 2002. In September 2002, he got back to classical guitar when pursuing graduate studies at Concordia for the Diploma in Advanced Music Performance studies, which he successfully completed in 2006. In 2008, discovers a new way to play the electric guitar, the Technical Touch, or polyphonic tapping with 2 hands. A technique that allows him to play with 2 guitars simultaneously. Since then, he has specialized in this playing style through the vast repertoire consisting of blues, jazz, classic and pop / rock and metal music. Since 2001, André teaches guitar, electric bass, piano and theory and ear training in several music schools in the Montreal region, including LaSalle Academy of Music, Brossard music school and Preville Fine Arts Centre. In 2007, he began teaching music to youth in elementary schools in Laval and St. Jerome. He taught guitar and electric bass at Studio 910 in 2008 and was their artistic director in 2009 and 2010. He is a member of the Quebec Association of Music Teachers. In the summer of 2016, he was invited as an assistant professor in the E-Tap 2016 at the Summer Royal Academy In Wallonia Libramont, Belgium. In addition to these educational activities, André Chalifour is a very active musician on the current music scene, where he works with various types of musical groups.

Marie-Eve has always had a passion for the arts, especially for music. At the age of 6, she started dancing lessons that she continued for more than 20 years. She studied mainly modern ballet and hip-hop. In 1997 she entered the Music-Studies program at the Mgr-Am.-Parent School where she studied viola for five years. In addition, she participated in an extracurricular fanfare as a horn player and trumpet player from 1998 to 2005.

She began singing in 2010 and performed in several fshows, including one at the Place des Arts. She also participated in several Montérégie events as singer/ song-writer, notably for the Gamins Foundation twice.

In 2013, she returned to Marie-Victorin CEGEP in fmusic and was admitted to the BAC in music teaching at UQAM in September 2014. Music teacher in elementary school, she is passionate and loves to teach.

At the age of 5, Jessica meets her new life-long friend... the piano. Right from the start, she falls in love with music and the instrument itself. She debuts her musical journey through the teaching of Laurence Ricard and then Claudine Lapointe in 2011 both affiliated with l'École préparatoire de l'UQAM in which she attends many contests, wins a few first prizes and bursaries, and passes all her exams.

At the age of 18, Jessica finishes her diploma in piano interpretation at UQAM (level Lauréat 2). She is now attending Vanier College in the music program, while teacher with Julia Gavrilova. Jessica wants to pursue her career in teaching.

She has been teaching piano since 2015. Summer 2018, Jessica joins Preville Arts Centre! She loves it! Her summer engagement with the team turns into a long-term engagement!

Pierre Goguen has been a music enthusiast since a young age with over 30 years of experience in his field.

He grew up in Joliette, where, under the influence of Fathers Brunelle and Lindsay, he learned to love classical music. He participated in several competitions to earn scholarships in music camps and continued to improve as a percussionist.

He completed his DEC in music and then went on to study for 3 years at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec in Montreal in percussion. He toured the club circuit in the 80s in Quebec and the Maritimes with various pop-rock bands before completing his BAC in music at UQAM in drum performance. He has worked in several ensembles as a drummer and percussionist and performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival as well as in Europe.

Pierre lived in Los Angeles for 10 years where he contributed to over 400 hours of audiobook recordings as a publisher, ProTools operator and narrator.

Pierre has been teaching drums and percussion for several years in private as well as in several schools. He has also been an instructor for rehearsal of percussion ensembles for the Orchestre Symphonique des Jeunes as well as several harmonies. Now he dedicates most of his time to teaching because that is his greatest passion.

Fernando Rodney Hinojosa is known for being a universal musician. He conducts a vast repertoire ranging from baroque music to folk music.

He comes from a family of prolific musicians and was introduced to music at an early age in Venezuela. In the 1970s, he joined the Juan José Landaeta Orchestra at the beginning of the Venezuelan Foundation's "El Sistema" (Orchestral System for Children and Youth) model, which was replicated in more than 50 countries.

His musical training was shaped by renowned musicians from Venezuela such as Master Antonio Esteves and Master G. Scarabino among others. He has participated in international conducting seminars and is a founding member of Orchestres de chambre in Venezuela. Master Hinojosa is the founder of the Nueva Esparta Symphony Orchestra in Venezuela, which he has directed for more than a decade.

Master Hinojosa is among those responsible for the implementation of the Orchestra System in Central America. He is a composer and has participated in international competitions such as the Verdi Festival in Matera, Italy. He composed music for documentaries, short films, plays and audiovisual projects.

He has conducted over 20 children’s choirs, youth choirs and philharmonics. He has been involved in the development of musical language instruction programs for the "Orchestra System for Children and Youth". Master Hinojosa was coordinator and professor of the University of Arts in Venezuela.

Today he plays cello, classical guitar and folk instruments such as the four and the mandolin. Master Hinojosa founded and directs the multicultural choir "Canticorum" in Montreal and his musical projects have no limits.

Claire Jacques

Claire Jacques’ career started in the stand-up comedy arena in 1985. After being accepted to perform in the prestigious "Lundis des Ha! Ha!" on TV and on tour, she then landed a spot in the Ligue Nationale d'Improvisation in 1986. This opportunity opened a door to acting when the legendary Janette Bertrand saw her potential and gave her a dramatic role in one of her series in 1987. In 1988, Claire was accepted in the brand new “Just for Laughs” 5 month training program for stand-up comedians which led to a Quebec wide tour.

In 1989, Claire auditioned for Denise Filiatrault and won a role in the ‘Les Fridolinades’ at the Théâtre du Rideau Vert. She went on to tour Quebec with this production. It was at this point that she realized that she could turn her passion for acting into a full-time job and it was the beginning of her amazing career as an actor and teacher.

Her many TV credits include roles in award-winning shows such as Unité 9, La Maison des Folles, Les Pêcheurs, Lâcher Prise and others as well as leading roles in Broken Trust, Stranger in my Home, Bullet in thre Face and most recently, Barskins. Claire can also be seen in several movies such as Whitewash, The Girl with the White Coat, Idole Instantanée and more.

She has also won several awards which include a Félix for “Show of the Year” (2018), “Découverte Québec Belgique” (1994) and “Best Sketch” (Just for Laughs, 1989).

Claire’s teaching career began in the year 2000. Upon returning from an 8 month contract with Cirque du Soleil as a principal performer in 'La Nouba', Dynamic Theater Factory welcomed her as Assistant Artistic Director where she held that position for 11 years. Since then she has taught, directed and written original material for actors of all ages. She also taught and directed grade school children and won and the ‘Ville de Montréal Award’ for bringing theatre into schools as well as developing and implementing programs for autistic children alongside Anik Matern (director and founder of Dynamic Theatre Factory).

These days Claire gives workshops, conferences and teaches while still being very active as an actor and musician.

Her upcoming projects include collaborations with other artists such as Christian Thomas (composer for musicals and theatrical productions) as well as her own personal projects such as writing a book, composing original songs and getting ready for her one-woman show to be launched in 2021.

Viktor began his musical education early with his parents, both professional musicians. His passion for music developed at the age of 12, and since then he has devoted himself to become a professional pianist.

Viktor has performed in many festivals and competitions in Spain, the United States and Canada. He has also appeared on radio and has been invited to perform as a guest artist at the Tchaikovsky festival in South Carolina.Viktor completed his undergraduate studies in piano performance at the University of South Carolina under the direction of Marina Lomazov. Currently, he is pursuing his master's degree at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University in Montreal under the direction of Ilya Poletaev.

Winner of numerous scholarships that allowed him to continue his development as a musician, Viktor is currently working on a research on the music of J. S. Bach. In addition to interpretation, Viktor is passionate about teaching and is interested in pursuing a career as a teacher and professional performer.

Bruno Lamarche is a creative saxophonist, clarinetist and flautist who pursues a very enriching musical career in North America and in Europe, for more than twenty years. We've been able to hear him on records with his group's debut album (Buddhakick, The Good People Records label); with Félix Stüssi 5 and Ray Anderson (Hieronymous, nominated at the Junos ; Baiji ; and Give me five, Grand Prix de Jazz General motors in 2007); with Joel Miller's Mandala (Mandala ; Tantramar, Opus for the best jazz / world music concert); and with Bernard Primeau (Liaisons), among others. He had the honor to play with great musicians like Ben Monder, Benoît Charest, Kurt Rosenwinkel, David Binney, Christine Duncan and Don Thompson, and within groups such as Altsys, the Dixieband, The National Jazz Orchestra of Montreal, Jazzlab and the Afro-Columbian Jazz Orchestra. Recognized arranger, Mr. Lamarche has received CALQ grants and earned a Bachelor of Jazz Performance at McGill University (with highest distinction), where he received the Marion Magor Memorial Scholarship and the James McGill Award. He also taught saxophone as a specialist in more than a dozen high schools, and led jazz orchestras in several music camps including at CAMMAC.

Marie-Eve learned classical piano since she was 5 years old with the well-known Robert Cousineau. At the age of 6 she began to participate in various shows, including some at the Place des Arts. Marie-Eve started to teach piano lessons very early, as she always wanted to give the beautiful gift that she received: Music! In her mid-twenties, Marie-Eve discovered a new passion for classical singing and music theory. Then, she decided to set up a lyric theatre called Le Théâtre Chantant in St-Lambert. Under her supervision, as artistic director, they presented 3 well-known shows: L’Auberge du Cheval Blanc from Ralph Benatzsky with l’Orchestre des Jeunes de la Montérégie, the Sound of Music from Rodgers & Hammerstein and A Chorus Line from Marvin Hamlisch in collaboration with Lorraine Walker’s dance school. Teaching music to kids and teenagers has always been always a priority in her life.

Having taught English and Mandarin as a second language to a wide range of audience, Liting is an experienced language teacher. Children, adults and seniors alike, they enjoyed her patience and communicative teaching methods. She has obtained her M.A. in Second Language Education at McGill University, with her thesis looking into learners’ individual differences. Hence, she fully respects students’ diverse learning abilities and backgrounds. Meanwhile, she tries to design each class to accommodate learners’ varied needs. With a firm belief that interests are the best teacher, she uses task-based pedagogy and authentic materials to make her lessons very engaging.

As a native speaker of Mandarin, she has a good knowledge of the language as well the Chinese culture. As a second language learner of English and French, she understands the common dilemma that second language learners encounter. Therefore, she is also very approachable in addressing students’ inquiries.

It’s gratifying for her to see students’ progress in speaking the language.

After graduating from university in Romania, Cristina Mondiru began a career as a chamber musician, touring Europe, Asia and the United States. Arriving in Canada, she continued her studies at the University of Montreal. She is a regular member of the Drummondville Symphony Orchestra, Trois-Rivières, the Montreal Chamber Orchestra and she also plays with other ensembles in Quebec.

Coming from a family of writers, since 2007 she has published many violin methods for young people, as well as stories for children in French and Romanian, accompanied by her music. She teaches violin in many schools as well as privately, mixing North American traditions with European ones, giving extraordinary results with her students.

Nathalie Mondou is a musician and teacher educator. She shares her passion for music with children for 15 years in several schools and CPE. In 2003, she founded Les Ateliers du Petit Prince, whose mission is to introduce children to folk-inspired music and dance. She has initiated and delivered training workshops for early childhood practitioners for several years. Having a sustained interest in the composition of children's songs, Nathalie launched in 2006, her first album entitled Frimousse - Mon Baluchon de chansons.

Rose Nemeth, graduated with a B in Music from McGill University in 1989. She enhances her musical endeavours in teaching with the use of games, theory along with the practical aspect in her private and group piano lessons. She has students as young as 41/2 ( some with learning challenges), youth, and adult plus ages. Rose has accompanied choirs, vocalists, and instrumentalists.

Earlier in the 90's she played for ballet classes, and prepared the students vocally and performed the music for "The Wizard of Oz" musical at Vincent Massey School through the Arts Smart program. Rose is currently Organist at St. Paul's Anglican Church in Greenfield Park, playing for Sunday Services, Funerals and Weddings. Rose teaches privately,and at Preville Fine Arts on Saturdays, and fills her summer involved in administration and teaching piano at Preville Summer Daycamp Program.

Erica Jacobs-Perkins is a violinist whose artistic life has been shaped by music, of course, but also literature, visual arts, textiles, food, spirituality, and most importantly by vibrant community of inspiring and surprising people. In performance and teaching, she incorporates these diverse sources of inspiration and is always looking for new areas of growth.

Erica Jacobs-Perkins, a Montreal-based violinist, challenges diverse audiences to form enduring relationships with classical music. She has interacted with audiences in high schools, cafes, community centers, hospitals, metro stations, and shelters. She has also had the privilege of performing in more conventional venues, such as the Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago Symphony Center, Kodak Hall in Rochester, NY, El Teatro Nacional de El Salvador, and in Smetana Hall as part of the Prague Proms Festival. Diversity of performance location is a cornerstone in her mission to deepen the socially transformative possibilities of classical music. Also integral to this mission is her enthusiasm for new music.

Erica’s passion for sharing music does not stop at performance. She has been teaching privately since 2006, and has also taught through the McGill Conservatory, the Montreal Academy of Music, the Kanack School (Rochester, NY) and Music for Kids (Chicago). She visited El Sistema El Salvador for two weeks in 2015 as a teaching fellow with the MusAid organization, a fascinating and mostly successful exercise in non-verbal communication since she speaks English and French, but not Spanish! Erica has training in the Suzuki method of violin teaching for Books 1-4 and uses aspects of this training in every violin lesson she teaches, although she understands the importance of tailoring lessons and methods to the needs of individual students.

Erica began her violin studies at the Hochstein School of Music (Rochester, NY) with Julie Stout and with Virginia Wensel, Denise Lupien, Felicia Moye, and Janet Sung. Erica holds a B.Mus. and a B.A. in English literature from McGill University and a M.Mus. from DePaul University.

After graduating with honours from Chambly County High School and working at CN for five years, Sandra decided to follow her passion and enrolled in the Montreal Fashion Arts Academy where she spent three years learning pattern drafting, clothing construction, grading sizes, sketching models and sewing. Soon after she was hired to style and create patterns for several large volume dress manufacturers in Montreal such as Sample Dress, Wendy’s Originals and Matinee Dress to name a few.

Sandra then returned to school to study marketing and the art of Haute Couture. She spent three years at the renowned Cotnoir Capponi school of Haute Couture where she learned the art of tie-ups in other countries and how to adapt styles to suit the Canadian market.

Sandra then went on to work in New York for Verly Designs, Joseph Ribkoff and Junior Sophisticates. While continuing to work in the industry, she returned to school at LaSalle College and got a Bachelor of Arts degree from Concordia University.

Sandra starting teaching at the Preville Fine Arts Centre after meeting the founder, Belva Thomas. Belva asked her to create a program for children so they could learn to create their own sewing projects by learning to design, make patterns and choose the correct materials to bring their projects to life. Over the years this course has become very popular because it helps kids build confidence, learn cooperation and acquire skills in a craft that could develop into a rewarding career in the future.

Becky Reesor

Becky holds an M.Mus in piano performance from McGill University. With over a decade of professional teaching and gigging in classical and popular music styles, Becky’s lessons are stimulating and expertly adapted to each of her students. Her approach values developing music skills through creative projects that utilize improvisation, composition, arranging and artistic score interpretation alongside structured technical development. She has produced and performed numerous experimental concerts and concert series, continuing to work with new music in Montreal. Becky enjoys working as a freelance event pianist and accompanist around Montreal.

Paula is Colombian, speaks 3 languages and is a Graduate with a major in Sociology and Theology. Spanish is her native language and she finds that it is a very beautiful language because it is very poetic, cultural, powerful and versatile. She always had a passion to teach languages to children because she believes they are the future of this world. As someone who has always been moving around, born in Colombia speaking Spanish, then moving at a very young age to New York and learning English, and then coming to Montreal and learning French in her teens, she knows how it feels to learn a new language but she also knows how exciting it is!

She has worked at Preville for 5 years now, she also teaches Spanish in summer and occasionally she teaches English. She also does private tutoring, and she encourages children who have that curiosity for Spanish to take private lessons as a way for them to keep practicing the language. Paula makes her Spanish classes interactive, imaginative and fun, to encourage children to have the best time possible while learning a new language.

Bill Riley, whose first instrument was the piano and who earned his way through university thanks in large part to a job as organist-choirmaster for a local church, loves playing brass instruments and delights in sharing his love of music with people of any age. He currently plays Trumpet in the Preville Big Band, lead Trombone in the Orchestre Robert Piette, and Tuba or Euphonium in several concert bands. He also was recently named musical director of the Hudson Big Swing Band, where for many years he had played lead Trombone. Bill’s teaching experience began at home, where he accompanied and coached his younger sisters as they learned Flute and French Horn; continued during secondary school, where he was one of several students chosen by his music teacher to help coach beginning brass students, and continues to this day through the clinics he conducts for beginning Trombone students in primary schools of the Lester B. Pearson School Board.

A pupil of Claude Létourneau, Anne graduated from the Conservatoire de Musique de Québec in 1984 with a First Prize and went on to study in the United States and France. She has considerable experience as an orchestral musician and has toured extensively around the world.

A freelancer in Montreal since 2001, Anne has also dedicated much of her time to teaching. She taught for ten years in a music concentration program at Marcel-Vaillancourt Elementary School in Laval. She also gives private violin lessons and continues as a freelancer in Montreal with the Orchestre des Grands Ballets Canadiens and the Laval Synmphony Orchestra.

Anne is both patient and demanding. She insists on a good basic technique to then be able to master the subtleties of the musical language. She has the success of her students at heart and challenges herself to see them blossom through their learning.

Anne is interested in philosophy, in Chinese culture and has been practicing Tai Chi for a few years.

Francis Sheehy, a musician, composer and arranger, has had intergenerational teaching experience for 20 years. Trained at Vincent D'Indy School, he also holds a Bachelor's degree in music education from UQAM. Welcoming, attentive and patient, Francis transmits his musical passion to his students by supporting them in their learning on classical guitar, electric or bass guitar. Whether for a school training or for a leisure activity, its educational approach will always be personalized according to the musical tastes and the level of skill of the student.

Born in 1987 in Chisinau, Moldova, Anastasia began violin lessons at the age of five. The love for classical music was transmitted to her by her father, a musician in the Chisinau Opera and Ballet Orchestra. His first musical performance took place at the age of 6 on the stage at the National Palace of Moldova.

During her studies at the C. Porumbescu Music High School she often participated in concerts as well as national and international competitions. In 2007 she won the silver medal at the Kazakhstan Games, Astana.

After obtaining a BAC in performance, Anastasia continued her studies at the Academy of Music, Theater and Fine Arts in Chisinau in the class of Boris Dubosarsky. At the same time she was hired as a violinist by the National Theater Orchestra Mihai Eminescu where she became Concertmaster thereafter.

At the age of 20, her enthusiasm and passion took her far from home and her international musical journey began with the Young Talent Orchestra under the direction of Vladimir Spivakov with whom she participated in concerts at the United Nations General Assembly in New York and UNESCO in Paris.

In 2012 Anastasia moved to Montreal where she continued her career as an orchestral musician and violin teacher. Using the basics of the Russian method as well as the Suzuki method, she seeks to adapt to the needs of each student. For her, the most important thing is to make the student want to play and to show them how to love practicing the violin.

Courses and Programs

Fall Open House

Don't miss our Fall Open House September 14 (10am-3pm), at our new location, Collège Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes. It's a great opportunity to come check out the new facilities and to see what is being offered this Fall!